Tube Map incorporating Thames Link

Navin Shah: The London Assembly’s Transport Committee this year called for TfL to incorporate Thameslink services on the Tube Map by August 2020 which unfortunately has not happened. TravelWatch have produced new series of travel hackswhich will help transport users to travel north to south across London without using the Tube. Please confirm if TfL is planning to produce a co-ordinated map or not?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) already produces a co-ordinated map that shows all TfL services and other train operating companies, and this is widely available. However, it is looking into how the Thameslink service could be included on the Tube map as there could be some useful benefits given the pandemic and current social distancing requirements.

TfL Enforcement Officers and Masks on Public Transport (2)

Keith Prince: What tasks were these TfL enforcement officers performing before they were withdrawn?

The Mayor: These officers are leading face covering compliance activity on Transport for London (TfL) networks, while also maintaining their work on other important safety activities.
TfL’s Compliance, Policing, Operations and Security Directorate has approximately 400 officers who are involved in a range of enforcement and compliance activity to support staff and customers across all modes of transport. Their responsibilities cover revenue protection and ticket checking, tackling antisocial behaviour, road reliability and road safety, and taxi and private hire compliance activity.

TfL Enforcement Officers and Masks on Public Transport (5)

Keith Prince: What are their rules of engagement if people refuse to wear a mask?

The Mayor: Transport for London’s (TfL’s) enforcement of face coverings on public transport is focussed on achieving high levels of compliance, using the 4E approach (engage, explain, encourage, enforce) with the issuing of Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) remaining a last resort.
Officers will engage with customers to explain the requirements and determine if they have a good reason for not wearing a face covering. If the customer does not have an exemption, officers will encourage and educate customers on the need to comply. If these efforts remain unsuccessful, officers can refuse travel/access or direct passengers to leave the service/premises. Where passengers refuse to comply, a Fixed Penalty Notice can be issued but this will be a last resort. The focus is on achieving compliance rather than penalising passengers. This approach is proving very successful with compliance levels observed and reported at over 90 per cent.
TfL officers have engaged with thousands of customers who were not wearing a face covering. Most complied by getting their face covering from their bag or pocket, putting it on correctly or purchasing one from a nearby shop.

TfL Enforcement Officers and Masks on Public Transport (4)

Keith Prince: What training have the TfL enforcement officers had?

The Mayor: Officers in Transport for London’s (TfL’s) Compliance, Policing Operations and Security Directorate are skilled compliance and enforcement officers. They have experience in dealing with a range of safety and security issues and engaging with members of the public about compliance with various rules and regulations in place across the transport network.
Their core training includes customer service, conflict management and de-escalation, and report writing. Officers receive specific training that is relevant to the activity they undertake. They are well placed to use their skills and experience for face covering enforcement activity.
TfL Officers received specific briefings for all face covering deployments. This covered public health (face covering) regulations, safe systems of work and the collection and reporting of information needed to issue Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs).

TfL Enforcement Officers and Masks on Public Transport (3)

Keith Prince: On what date were these TfL enforcement officers deployed on their current duties?

The Mayor: Officers from Transport for London’s (TfL’s) Compliance, Policing, Operations and Security (CPOS) Directorate have played an important role in supporting public health measures since the beginning of the pandemic. This has ranged from engaging with passengers when travel was restricted to essential journeys only, maintaining social distancing, supporting NHS staff during the use of the NHS Nightingale Hospital as well as face covering compliance.
CPOS officers have been involved in activities to improve compliance with face coverings since the regulations came into effect on 15 June. They have engaged with and educated passengers on the new requirements, assisting in the distribution of over 100,000 complementary facemasks at the busiest train and bus stations. They began enforcing the regulations on 4 July 2020.

Exams Fiasco

Navin Shah: What can be done to support students impacted by the exams fiasco in London, particularly BTEC students who it seems were forgotten by the government?

The Mayor: London’s young people have endured a dreadful year and have suffered further due to the exam results chaos. BTEC students have faced unacceptable delays.
Earlier this year, I wrote to Higher Education Institutions asking them to consider how assessment changes would affect outcomes, particularly for learners from disadvantaged backgrounds. London’s universities have done a great deal to ensure student contextual data was accounted for in their admissions and have worked tirelessly to ensure as many students as possible can start their desired course.
As school and college leavers take their next steps we anticipate an increase in those experiencing mental and emotional distress. I continue to work with hundreds of London’s health, care, charity, education and business organisations through Thrive LDN to ensure mental health remains a priority. I have also commissioned the Institute of Employment Studies to conduct a mental health needs assessment of Further Education in London which will identify how to better support students.
This summer, I announced further investment of £2.1m for activities to improve young Londoners wellbeing, skills and opportunities. This is set to provide vital support for 15,000 young people, as COVID-19 lockdown measures ease. Applications also recently closed for projects to support young people aged 16 to 24 who are not in education employment or training.
The Education sub-group of the London Transition Board includes representatives from London’s schools, colleges and universities who regularly update on the ongoing impact on students.

Face Coverings on TfL

Navin Shah: My constituents have raised concerns that the wearing of face coverings on public transport is not being enforced and vulnerable people are being put at risk, as Londoners start to return to work and school. What can be done to ensure that those using public transport follow Government advice, and how can TfL enforce this?

The Mayor: The overwhelming majority of Londoners are doing the right thing and protecting others by wearing a face covering. Transport for London (TfL), together with its policing partners, is working hard to ensure compliance with face covering regulations and provide a safe transport network for its customers. There are a range of measures in place, including an extensive communications campaign with posters, signage, PA announcements, social media as well as enforcement activity. Compliance remains high at around 90 per cent overall. TfL and its policing partners are monitoring the situation closely and targeting areas where compliance is lower.
The police and TfL’s operations enforcement officers are deployed to priority locations across the transport network to encourage compliance, refusing entry to the network and asking people to leave if they are not wearing a face covering and are not exempt from the requirement to do so. TfL officers alone have stopped 81,856 people from getting on its services until they wore a face covering; 5,882 people were prevented from boarding; 1,511 people have been asked to leave the service they were on; and 350 Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) have been issued. These figures do not include enforcement activity undertaken by the police.
Compliance and enforcement activity is being further increased with the rollout of Transport Support and Enforcement Officers, the authorisation of staff from TfL’s contractors to enforce the regulations, and more joint operations with the police.
Additionally, TfL has been working with ACRO (Criminal Records Office) to implement new regulations which have recently come into effect that increase the level of penalty for repeat offenders.
It is important to note that between five and 10 per cent of the population have an exemption from wearing a face covering. TfL has heard from many vulnerable customers who cannot wear a face covering, that they are fearful of being victimised by other customers when using public transport. We want to create a safe and welcoming environment for all customers and are looking at options to see what more can be done to support vulnerable customers.

A-Level Chaos [1]

Andrew Dismore: Do you know how many A-Level students from London had grades downgraded?

The Mayor: Ofqual figures showed that 39.1% of the 718,276 teacher assessments for A-levels submitted in England were lowered by one or more grade during its standardisation process. There is no public data on the percentage of London students that were downgraded.
Statistics on the number of reviews of marking and moderation for GCSE, AS and A level are due to be published by Ofqual between December 2020 and January 2021.
Source: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/909368/6656-1_Awarding_GCSE__AS__A_level__advanced_extension_awards_and_extended_project_qualifications_in_summer_2020_-_interim_report.pdf (page 135).

A-Level Chaos [2]

Andrew Dismore: What impact do you consider the A-Level results chaos will have on young people in London, and what is your message to them?

The Mayor: I’d like to congratulate students from across the capital who got their results this summer for their hard work. London’s young people, like many all over the country, have endured a dreadful year and have suffered further due to the chaos over A-level results. This confusion compounded the uncertainty young people were already feeling as a result of the pandemic at such a crucial juncture in their lives. On 13 August, I wrote to the Secretary of State for Education to raise my concerns regarding A-level results. This fiasco could have been completely avoided if the Government had taken action months ago.
As school leavers take their next steps this Autumn, we anticipate an increase in young people experiencing mental and emotional distress. We know that some issues emerge immediately, but others appear later, with the return of some kind of normality. It is important young people feel free to seek help without stigma or feeling embarrassed.
The Good Thinking digital mental health and wellbeing service, signposts to a wide range of online and voluntary sector support as well as clinical resources https://www.good-thinking.uk/

112 bus extension

Andrew Dismore: When is the 112 bus extension to North Finchley due to come into effect?

The Mayor: The extension of route 112 between Brent Cross and North Finchley via A406 North Circular Road and A1000 Finchley High Road started on Saturday 29 August. It now runs between North Finchley and Ealing Broadway, connecting these north and west London hubs. This is part of the Mayor’s commitment to improve orbital bus services in outer London and encourage more Londoners to walk, cycle and use public transport.

TfL and Dettol partnership

Susan Hall: How much revenue was generated for TfL as a result of the recent partnership campaign with Dettol?

The Mayor: The Dettol partnership will see 874 hand sanitiser units branded and filled with the Dettol product. The partnership runs between 14 September to 14December. Dettol will be providing 30,000 litres of its product. Transport for London has generated £350,000 in revenue through this partnership.

125 bus extensions [2]

Andrew Dismore: Were tests carried out and assessments made about the safety of the 125 bus extension down Greyhound Hill in Hendon, especially in icy conditions?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) assessed the operation of route 125 on Greyhound Hill before its extension between Finchley Central and Colindale station, with highway change proposals shared within the public consultation documents for the extension. Changes to these designs were made following consultation feedback and discussions with Barnet Council.
A route test was undertaken on 16 April 2019, along with further site meetings conducted with representatives across TfL and from Barnet Council, to assess the safety of running double-deck buses along Greyhound Hill. The route test involved a double-deck vehicle running in both directions along the road and making turning manoeuvres at Hendon, next to Middlesex University. It also assessed interaction with trees, pedestrian crossing points and parking, with tree pruning and parking changes subsequently completed. Bus stop locations were also assessed, with two locations selected which provided visibility for other vehicles to overtake and where buses could pull up to the kerb to provide step free access.
These highway changes were made in early May 2019 and the route was extended via Greyhound Hill on 25 May 2019. During icy conditions, Greyhound Hill is included as one of Barnet Council’s gritting routes to ensure buses can manoeuvre along this road.

Increased support for London’s children & young people’s development and well-being.

Florence Eshalomi: The past few months have been challenging, especially for our children and young people. The disruption to schooling due to the lockdown and the fall-out from the crisis on school exam results has created a crisis of confidence for many of our children & young people. Can the Mayor outline what additional long-term resources are available to further the development of our children and young people?

The Mayor: City Hall research, backed up by a UK Youth report on the impact of COVID-19, shows that the pandemic has had a significant impact on young people’s mental health, wellbeing, loneliness, activity levels and future opportunities. The London Recovery Board, which I co-chair with the Chair of London Councils is co-ordinating the planning for London’s long-term recovery and is working in partnership across London. Helping young people to flourish with access to support and opportunities is one of the recovery programme’s key outcomes.
City Hall action includes investment of £30m European Social Funding to support young Londoners, many of whom are not in education or employment, and funding of additional activities over the next six months through the Young Londoners Fund to improve wellbeing, skills and opportunities. Additional Adult Education Budget for 2020-21, secured through the Department for Education’s COVID-19 Skills Recovery Package, can be used to deliver high value courses to learners aged 19 if they cannot find employment or work-based training. We have also worked with the Healthy London Partnership to update the Schools Mental Health Toolkit. This, together with Thrive LDN and the Good Thinking digital mental health and wellbeing service, signposts teachers, youth workers, parents and students to a wide range of online and voluntary sector support.

Closing City Airport in light of coronavirus impact on aviation

Caroline Russell: According to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), London City Airport has seen the greatest reduction in flights of any UK airport, and passenger numbers are down 95 per cent in July 2020 compared with July 2019. The impact of coronavirus on the future of aviation is uncertain, but it is likely we will not see growth in the near future. Do you agree that now is the time to close City Airport and release the land for much-needed homes for Londoners?

The Mayor: Aviation has been badly hit by the coronavirus pandemic and no airport has been left unscathed, with London City Airport closing for three months. Though it has now reopened, full recovery is likely to take some time, and it is primarily a decision for the airport as to how it responds. It has already said it will temporarily pause some elements of its ongoing City Airport Development Programme (CADP), notably a new terminal extension. The airport should also take the opportunity to row back from its draft Masterplan proposals for a substantial increase in flights and the environmental impacts that would entail.

Bus driver welfare during heatwaves

Caroline Russell: What steps did Transport for London (TfL) and bus operators take during the recent heatwave to support driver welfare, and what plans do you have to ensure procedures are adapted to take account of the increasing likelihood of very hot summers?

The Mayor: All the cabs in buses have self-contained air conditioning and windows that open so drivers can work in more comfortable conditions during hot weather. Transport for London (TfL) requires all of its fleet to have these features and for operators to check they are working properly.
As London has recently had a few particularly hot summers, bus operators now relax the rules on company uniform so drivers can wear shorts and short-sleeve shirts. If drivers feel unwell, support and advice is also available from TfL’s 24/7 control room. For more general welfare matters, TfL, its bus operators and Unite the union are providing a Health Bus, which will be visiting garages to offer advice on staying fit and healthy at work.
During the coronavirus pandemic, it has also been possible for driver welfare issues to be raised directly through regular conference calls between TfL and Unite the union.

London NHS Volunteers (1)

Tony Devenish: How many NHS volunteers have been given assignments in London since the start of the pandemic, what have you as Mayor done to engage with these volunteers and what plans do you have to do so in the future?

The Mayor: During the pandemic London has seen a groundswell of volunteers keen to support vulnerable Londoners. According to the data provided by GoodSam and The Royal Voluntary Service, who ran the NHS Volunteer Responders government led-scheme, volunteers in London carried out 145,436 tasks to support 17,561 vulnerable people. Approximately 8000 volunteer hours were completed by Team London volunteers in response to the pandemic. In addition to this I deployed 216 Team London volunteers to support the set-up of NHS Nightingale in April. A further 178 Team London volunteers have supported with London’s recovery through the distribution of face coverings at major transport hubs in the City and across local Boroughs.. I will continue to engage these volunteers for Team London’s ongoing major event volunteering as any events restart or for further Covid-19 recovery volunteering. I will also continue work with GoodSam and voluntary sector organisations in London’s boroughs to ensure we can support organisations to engage volunteers and to build a culture of volunteering.

Gloucester Road Tour Buses

Tony Devenish: In order to improve the village atmosphere of Gloucester Road, will you please request that TfL ensure that instead of tour buses stopping and idling at the strip between Cromwell and Harrington Roads, they all stop on the other side of Cromwell Road?

The Mayor: Tour bus services are licensed by Transport for London (TfL) under the London Service Permit arrangement, whereby operators submit a timetable and have stops and stands allocated for their use. While there are no stands in the area mentioned, tour buses are permitted to wait for a brief period at stops (in this case either side of Gloucester Road outside the station) to maintain their timetable in the same way a TfL bus can.

Covid-19 Volunteering Commission

Tony Devenish: How will you be assisting the Commission set up by Pro Bono Economics and led by Lord O’Donnell and Andy Haldane to look at the role of volunteering during the Covid-19 pandemic?

The Mayor: Team London, the Mayors’ Volunteering programme, has a strong relationship with Pro Bono Economics, having collaborated with the organisation over the last two years to share tools with charities for impact measurement.
The Pro Bono Economics Commission will be a 2 year deep dive to inform policy makers on strengthening and supporting civil society effectively. It will begin in November 2020 and will explore topics including volunteering and philanthropy. The study programmes, essays and research that emerge over this period will help to inform new advice and recommendations. We have contacted Pro-Bono Economics to express our interest in the Commission and will be meeting with the team once the commission has launched to explore how we may be able to further work together.
We are keen to ensure that Civil Society policy is informed by data, insights and Londoners’ voices. To enable this we are committed to collaborating with researchers and experts and civil society groups to share insights and knowledge to deepen our understanding of challenges and opportunities for civil society.

London Learning At Home

Jennette Arnold: How will you build on the success of London Learning At Home to ensure all young Londoners can access great opportunities across the city?

The Mayor: My London Curriculum team are undertaking work to map the online offers listed on London Learning at Home with our Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3 teacher resources. This will provide virtual alternatives to suggested school trips, recognising current constraints on teachers and the potential for lockdowns in future. In doing so, this ensures that my London Curriculum resources stay fit for purpose and continue to help connect young Londoners with the incredible opportunities for learning across their city. I am also committed to retaining and adding to the London Learning at Home platform for as long as it is useful for teachers and families. www.london.gov.uk/learning-at-home

K&C Free Disabled Parking

Tony Devenish: Do you support the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in expanding free disabled parking in the borough's hospital wards from approximately 1 to 4 hours? Will you encourage other boroughs to expand free disabled parking?

The Mayor: The Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea’s proposal is to simplify parking arrangements for Blue Badge holders in specified hospital zones. The previous system actually allowed a Blue Badge holder to repeatedly qualify for an hour’s free parking in pay and display bays by paying the minimum parking charge of 20p, requiring them to ‘top-up’ for longer hospital visits. The new system makes this more straightforward, with four hours free parking in the designated hospital zones, removing the need to top up.
I welcome measures that improve access to hospitals for disabled Londoners. In some cases, restrictions may be necessary to prioritise spaces for disabled people to attend hospital appointments, or access their home, workplace or place of study, rather than for visitors making journeys that may be more discretionary or could be re-timed. As such, a targeted approach that safeguards space specifically for those attending hospital appointments could be important in some locations.

Furlough Payments (2)

Tony Devenish: How much did topping up the 80% furlough payments to 100% cost TfL?

The Mayor: Please see my response to Mayor's Question 2020/2847.

Face masks on the TfL network (3)

Gareth Bacon: What support are you and TfL providing to TfL workers and bus drivers to help them to enforce the face mask rule?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) frontline staff and bus drivers are not expected to enforce face covering regulations or stop customers from travelling who are not complying. They will, however, engage with customers to remind them of the requirement to wear face coverings if they feel it is safe to do so. Enforcement of these regulations is predominantly carried out by the police and TfL Enforcement Officers.
There is an extensive communications campaign running across all TfL networks which includes posters, signage and PA announcements making passengers aware of the requirement and the penalties for non-compliance.
TfL has also introduced a process where frontline staff can report issues with non-compliance. This intelligence is then used to identify locations where additional interventions may be required such as targeted communications or enforcement activity.

London Overground services on Boxing Day

Caroline Pidgeon: What level of services will operate on the London Overground on the 26 December 2020?

The Mayor: No decision has yet been made around service levels on London Overground during the Christmas/New Year period.

Working Air Conditioning for Bus Drivers

Murad Qureshi: Bus drivers are forced to drive in unbearable heat with no working air conditioning. TFL made it mandatory for buses to have air conditioning fitted since 2012, but some bus companies choose not to have them working. What will you do to improve the working conditions of bus drivers, particularly this year after some bus drivers and transport workers tragically lost their lives in the Covid 19 pandemic?

The Mayor: I continue to work on many fronts to enhance the working conditions of bus drivers, including minimum rates of starter pay, new fatigue management systems, safer vehicle design, the Licence for London and providing toilets where they are most needed. There has been some relaxing of operator rules on company uniform to help with comfort too.
While the vast majority of London buses were providing air conditioning in the cab during the pandemic, a small number had systems switched off as a precaution so these could be modified to draw their air entirely externally. The end of this programme overlapped with some hotter days this summer. Operators engaged with their drivers locally, however, to make them aware of this temporary measure.
Please also see my response to Mayor’s Question 2020/2615.

TfL's Operating Account

Shaun Bailey: Please provide details about TfL’s operating account for the 2018/19 and 2019/20 financial years?

The Mayor: Transport for London publishes its quarterly performance reports on its website. The reports for 2018/19 and 2019/20 can be accessed via the link below: https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/publications-and-reports/quarterly-progress-reports

Face coverings in schools

Onkar Sahota: Will you be encouraging schools to ask students to wear face coverings in areas outside the classroom where social distancing is difficult?

The Mayor: The safety of children, young people and staff in our schools is a top priority. Parents and children should keep a safe distance from other households, including at drop off or pick up times.
Face coverings should be worn by adults and pupils in secondary schools when moving around the school, such as in corridors and communal areas where social distancing is difficult to maintain. Government guidelines state it is not necessary to wear face coverings in the classroom, where protective measures already mean the risks are lower, and where they can inhibit learning. Face coverings are not required for children in primary schools or early years settings. More guidance is available at: https://www.london.gov.uk/coronavirus/back-school-and-college
I will continue to use all my communications channels to promote the use of face coverings in spaces where it is hard to keep a safe distance from others.This includes widespread promotion on TfL services, where older children and young people must wear a covering for their journey.

London Overground ticket offices

Alison Moore: What changes, if any, have been made to the London Overground ticket office opening hours during the current pandemic?

The Mayor: London Overground ticket offices were closed during the height of the pandemic, owing to the need to maintain social distancing between colleagues. The staffed ticket offices have now reopened, following the new opening hours which were introduced earlier this year.

Young Londoners Fund

Susan Hall: Please can you provide an update on the future of the Young Londoners Fund?

The Mayor: I have granted funds from the Young Londoners Fund to more than 300 education, sport and cultural activity projects which are providing positive opportunities for over 110,000 young Londoners during the four years to December 2022.
In July, I announced further investment of £2.1m, made up of £1.6m from the Young Londoners Fund and £500k from my Violence Reduction Unit, to deliver activities over the next six months to improve young Londoners wellbeing, skills and opportunities. This activity is set to provide vital support for 15,000 more young Londoners as COVID-19 lockdown measures ease.
In my 2020/21 budget I allocated £25m to build on the Young Londoners Fund in future years providing new funding for projects and programmes that provide positive opportunities for disadvantaged young people and help steer them away from crime.

Learning from Exercise Cygnus (1)

Andrew Dismore: Was improved wifi and audiovisual equipment provided for the Strategic Coordinating Group following this being flagged as an issue in the review of Exercise Cygnus?

The Mayor: The arrangements for hosting and facilitating Strategic Coordinating Groups are constantly reviewed and worked upon to ensure that the meetings can be held virtually to maximise participation and ease of administration.
Wifi access at MPS Lambeth facility had been enhanced for visitors operating from that facility. The London Resilience Group issued personal portable devices to all its staff in late 2017 to enable administrative support to SCGs from any location. This capability has been proven during several recent responses where the administrative support has been provided remotely.
During the recent COVID response the SCG has utilised further enhancements in technology and now regularly runs its meeting through video conferencing applications and retains the ability to revert to teleconferencing facilities with more secure features if required.

Learning from Exercise Cygnus (3)

Andrew Dismore: During Exercise Cygnus, which “critical public services” did it become apparent would be “overwhelmed in the event of severe pandemic influenza due to capacity limitations or interdependencies across organisations and sectors”?

The Mayor: Exercise Cygnus was a National Command Post Exercise, as such the focus was on procedural aspects and the mechanisms to coordinate the response between local and national levels, as opposed the going into such detail of organisational scenarios which would allow participants to fully examine their capacity limitations.
The response to a pandemic and the capacity of each organisation would be dependant on the varying infection rates, absenteeism and increased demand for service that a pandemic produces. The details of these potential realities were not provided in sufficient depth to determine if critical public services would have been overwhelmed.
It is the purpose of individual organisational pandemic planning to identify their internal capacity limitations and make plans for prioritisation of services and alternative service delivery to meet the needs of their critical public service delivery.

Learning from Exercise Cygnus (2)

Andrew Dismore: Was the excess deaths framework developed following the lessons of Exercise Cygnus suitable or adaptable for the covid-19 pandemic?

The Mayor: The Excess Deaths Framework that was further developed following Exercise Cygnus was adapted and utilised for the COVID 19 pandemic and provided the basis for the initial mortality management response.
The frameworks in use by the Resilience Partnership are not focussed on, and only applicable to, a single risk cause. They provide the generic framework of options and likely issues to provide the responders with the tools to develop the specific plan applicable to the scenario they are faced with.

TfL Furlough (2)

Susan Hall: What was the total amount that furloughing saved TfL?

The Mayor: As at the time of Transport for London’s (TfL’s) latest financial report, covering the period 1 April to 22 August 2020, its operating account position shows furloughing has saved TfL £52m.

TfL Furlough (4)

Susan Hall: What was the total cost to TfL of topping up furlough payments?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) used the Government’s Job Retention Scheme at the request of Government in order to access funding for 80 per cent of the salary of furloughed staff.
TfL initiated use of the scheme at the end of April in order to reduce the immediate and urgent pressure on TfL’s cash reserve and prior to reaching the funding agreement with Government. Topping up furlough payments was not only the right thing to do, but also the only thing it could do, since under the arrangements it has in place with its workforce, TfL would have had to enter a minimum 90-day consultation if it were to reduce pay. Had TfL not topped up and delayed accessing funds, TfL’s cash balance would have been at further risk of breaching its minimum cash position.
Through using the scheme, TfL has saved £52 million (as at the time its latest financial report covering the period 1 April to 22 August 2020). Had it not used the furlough scheme, TfL would have spent around £81 million.

Supporting London’s Schools

Jennette Arnold: How are you engaging with the Department for Education to ensure that London’s schools have the resources they need to address the impact of the school closures on young Londoners’ education?

The Mayor: The London Transition Board, co-chaired by myself and the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government co-ordinates London’s response as it emerges from the COVID-19. It’s Education sub-group is chaired by Councillor Peter John OBE and includes representatives from City Hall and from the Department for Education (DfE).
The 12 August London Transition Board focused on education and was attended by Vicky Ford MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Children and Families at the DfE. We discussed how the Board could support on a number of concerns raised; these included transport, how to manage the skills gap, what needs to be taught in the curriculum, pupil and parent confidence regarding return to school, mental health and safeguarding of pupils, concerns about digital poverty and guidance on wrap-around care.
I have written to the Secretary of State for Education to highlight concerns, including the need to further address the digital divide by expanding their IT device and data scheme to more pupils. I will continue to raise concerns with DfE to ensure that London’s schools have the resources they need.

Kew Road Cyclists

Tony Arbour: Cyclists on Kew Road are already vulnerable on what is a dangerous stretch of road. Do you agree that a plan that would mean more coaches using the road and further increasing the risks faced by cyclists would be unacceptable?

The Mayor: As part of my London Streetspace Programme, Transport for London (TfL) has worked closely with Richmond Council to deliver new pop-up cycle lanes along the A307 Kew Road to make it safer for people cycling. Richmond Council’s proposal to move the coach drop-off from the A307 Kew Road, which is a busy cycle corridor, to the quieter backstreet location on Kew Green is a positive step in supporting the wider aims for safer active travel in the area. TfL will continue to work closely with London’s boroughs to review and evaluate the impacts of TfL funded schemes on communities and road users, and this includes any potential impacts of the new coach drop-off location.

Vulnerable Children

Tony Devenish: What are you doing to support London's most vulnerable children, following on from the Evening Standard's excellent front-page report (7th August) "Vulnerable Children Deserted in London Lockdown"?

The Mayor: The Executive of the London Safeguarding Children’s Partnership has been coordinating resilience and multi-agency work throughout the pandemic. This body brings together representatives from the Association of London Directors of Children’s Services, London Councils, the MPS, MOPAC and NHS England. As children return to school it is helping local authorities with data, guidance and principles to support local responses to the expected increase in identification of abuse and neglect.
The Director of my Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) attends the National Safeguarding and Young People's Board and the VRU has been working with partners to ensure young people and families get the support they need. It is targeting investment at activities and engagements to help prevent youth violence as lockdown eases, as part of a longer-term strategy to reduce violence across the capital.
My £1.5m emergency fund is responding to the emerging needs of victims of domestic abuse and their children through securing emergency safe accommodation and wrap around support.
In July, I announced further investment of £2.1m for activities to improve young Londoners wellbeing, skills and opportunities. This is set to provide vital support for 15,000 young Londoners, especially those that are most vulnerable, as COVID-19 lockdown measures ease.

TfL Cash Payment Facilities

Tony Devenish: How are those whose debit or credit card are not working expected to purchase an Oyster Card or top up when TfL has withdrawn all or most cash payment facilities? Do you think it reasonable for TfL to blame Covid-19 for the lack of cash payment facilities, despite this issue pre-dating March 2020?

The Mayor: Customers have a range of ways to get and top up an Oyster card. In the unlikely event of a bankcard not working, customers can use one of nearly 4,000 Oyster Ticket Stops across London. Also, the Transport for London (TfL) app and website supports topping up on the go, delivering orders within 30 minutes. In not accepting cash during the pandemic, TfL is adopting the same approach as many other retailers to help keep staff and customers safe.

Mask Wearing on Public Transport

Tony Devenish: What level of compliance is there for mask-wearing on the Tube and bus network? What is TfL doing to ensure that compliance on mask-wearing on public transport is as high as possible?

The Mayor: Please see my response to Mayor's Question 2020/3233.

School transition

Jennette Arnold: How is your Stepping Stones programme going to adapt this year to support school transition, in the context of some children having been out of full time education for six months?

The Mayor: A successful transition to secondary school is essential to a child’s educational success. Given the time out of school for so many children since March it was important to encourage flexibility in how schools run Stepping Stones and support their vulnerable pupils.In May, we held a webinar for those schools coming to their end of their two-year funding, encouraging them to share ideas about how the programme could be adapted for this COVID-19 period. There were some great examples shared across the school sector, and we published their guidance on running summer schools: www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/education-and-youth/school-schemes/stepping...
The new cohort of 14 Stepping Stones schools, funded by the Violence Reduction Unit, launched their programmes in April. Over the challenging summer months they have worked with primary schools to identify the incoming vulnerable year seven pupils and engaged with their parents to ensure support for the programme. Those schools that could, ran socially distanced summer schools during the holidays and several have made their counselling services and psychologists available to Stepping Stones children to support their mental health and wellbeing as they make this important transition.

LTN Planters (2)

Susan Hall: How many planters has TfL paid for under the Streetspace Programme?

The Mayor: My Streetspace for London Programme has funded over 150 Low Traffic Neighbourhood (LTN) projects across London’s Boroughs. LTNs are proposed and designed by the boroughs, and are usually introduced in the form of modal filters, which in many cases includes the use of planters as a physical barrier.
To date, there are 178 locations where modal filters have been or will be implemented. Boroughs have provided details in respect of the LTN area and number of modal filters used, but not the specific type of infrastructure. Therefore, the exact number of planters used is not available.